Aidan: Loyal Cowboy. Cathy McDavid

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      Flynn’s triumph dimmed when she met Ace’s frown.

      Seriously? What did he have to be annoyed about?

      “We’re going to miss you,” he said stiffly, and stuffed the sale papers he’d been holding into the front pocket of his jacket.

      Your family, or you? Flynn wanted to ask, fairly certain she already knew the answer wasn’t him.

      * * *

      FLYNN WAS LEAVING! MOVING to Billings. And she wanted to be a nurse. Ace couldn’t believe it.

      Not that she wouldn’t make a great nurse, he just didn’t recall her ever mentioning it before.

      Of course, the last time they were together, their talk had centered on their lovemaking and how incredible they made each other feel. Not any potential career changes.

      “Heads-up!” Duke yelled.

      The warning came in the nick of time. Ace jumped onto the bottom rung of the fence and out of the way a scant second before two of their newly purchased bucking mares trampled him. He remained clinging to the fence until the coast was clear, then hopped off.

      “Three more to go,” Uncle Joshua hollered from the pen. “Coming your way.”

      Ace’s uncle lived on Thunder Ranch and was in charge of their remaining bulls and cattle. He’d moved to the ranch when his twin sons, Duke and Beau, were knee-high, as he was fond of saying. Before then, he’d spent many years working for Flynn’s grandfather.

      For supposed rivals, the Harts and the McKinleys were connected on many levels.

      Ace’s thoughts circled right back to Flynn.

      She was moving.

      As much as he hated her leaving, it probably was for the best. She deserved a man able to commit to her, not one dividing himself between his vet practice and managing his family’s various businesses.

      “Pay attention,” Duke complained.

      “Sorry,” Ace grumbled. “Got a lot on my mind.”

      They herded the remaining three horses down the narrow aisle and into the waiting stock trailer. Their hooves created a tremendous clatter as they hopped inside to join the other two horses, who shifted to accommodate the newcomers. A few squealed, defending their small territory against their neighbor.

      While some bucking horses were friendly enough around people, others weren’t. Driving them down a narrow aisle and up into a trailer was often the easiest and most effective method of loading them.

      “Midnight the only one left?” Ace had been so preoccupied with Flynn, he’d lost track of the horses they’d already loaded. He glanced over at the second trailer they’d brought and started counting.

      “The wranglers are bringing him round now,” Duke said.

      Ace didn’t wait. He disliked the manner in which the wranglers and livestock foreman had handled Midnight during the auction. Not that they’d hurt him, but they’d been unnecessarily heavy-handed.

      While Duke and Uncle Joshua made sure the horses were secure for the trip, Ace trudged up the aisle to the pen holding Midnight. One wrangler held the horse’s lead rope while the other manned the gate.

      “Thanks for your help, guys,” Ace told the wranglers. “I’ll take it from here.”

      “Your horse.” The wrangler at the gate stepped aside.

      Ace went right up to Midnight and grabbed the lead rope from the second wrangler’s outstretched hand. The rope went instantly slack. Well, well, Midnight was no longer fighting.

      “Good boy,” Ace crooned, stroking the horse’s neck.

      Midnight took a hesitant step toward the gate, then another.

      “That’s right.” Ace walked along beside him, pleased Midnight was going to make this easy. He could use something going his way after his encounter with Flynn.

      He and Midnight reached the gate. It was wide enough for only one of them to pass through at a time. Ace started to go first.

      All at once, Midnight charged through the gate, shoving Ace aside and into the railing. He tried but couldn’t hang on to the lead rope and it tore from his grasp.

      Free at last, the horse broke into a gallop.

      “Look out,” Ace yelled as Midnight bolted down the aisle.

      Wranglers scrambled out of the horse’s path, diving for cover. Ace ran after him, slipping and sliding in the muddy ground and nearly losing his balance twice. Pain sliced through his back from his collision with the railing.

      When Midnight reached the end of the aisle, he skidded to a halt and stared at the trailer, his flanks heaving, his high-arched tail swishing nervously. Thank goodness the opening was blocked by the trailer, or else the horse would have likely made for the hills.

      He swung his large body around as Ace approached, tossing his head angrily as if to say, “Drats, foiled again.”

      “Where exactly did you think you were going?” Ace stopped, bent, braced his hands on his knees and studied the horse, his lungs on fire.

      Midnight pawed the ground, then turned back to face the trailer. A panel had been closed, separating the trailer into two compartments, the rear one empty. Ace could imagine the horse weighing his options.

      “Make this easy, pal. Go in the trailer.”

      Duke and Uncle Joshua came over, their faces split by amused grins Ace didn’t find the least bit funny. They’d exercised considerably more intelligence than him and remained on the opposite side of the fence railing, clear of harm’s way.

      “You should have seen yourself running after that horse.” Uncle Joshua broke into laughter and elbowed Duke in the ribs. “Where’s a video camera when you need one?”

      Duke, usually more somber, laughed along with his dad.

      “I just want to get this damn horse loaded,” Ace grumbled.

      Midnight snorted and pawed the ground again, his lead rope dangling in the mud.

      “Need help?” the livestock foreman asked. He strolled toward Ace, the buggy whip gripped at his side.

      “We’re okay.” In Ace’s opinion, that livestock foreman and his whip were the reason Midnight bolted in the first place.

      Raising his arms and waving them slowly, Ace clucked to Midnight. The two wranglers came up behind Ace, blocking any potential escape route.

      Duke started toward the slim opening between the fence and the rear corner of the trailer. “You want me to grab his lead rope?”

      “No, stay put,” Ace ordered. “The last thing we need is someone getting hurt.”

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